The coming year will be one of record sales for Korean automaker Hyundai as it shakes free, in our collective memory, of the awful Pony and Excel.

STYLE: SUVSTARTING PRICE: $26,499AVG. FUEL ECONOMY: 8.6L/100kmACCOLADES: Best New SUV (Over $35K)BUZZ: Hyundai can’t dominate the market without a stellar SUV, and the redesigned Santa Fe delivers just that. The all-new 2.4-litre direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine (the Santa Fe also offers a diesel option) has real guts, but can be overly noisy when you put it through its paces. The body that houses the powerful engine is striking and stylish, as is the interior, which features goodies like a 7-inch LCD colour screen with satellite navigation, reverse camera, and audio & climate control displays. The new Advanced Traction Cornering Control (ATCC) is more than just a fancy name, providing impressive control that makes a difference you can feel.